Poultry and small livestock feeder



May 25, 1948. vl. R. DoTY POULTRY AND SMALL LIVESTOCK FEEDER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 24, 1945 rllplrl'nv '1,111 1.11114 I r11/enter By r "MW eys May 25, 1948. l, R, DOTY 2,441,959

Im/euto A Ir ving D079 |www Attorneys Patented May 25, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE POULTRY AND SMALL LIVESTOCK FEEDER Irving R. Doty, Cranford, N. J. l Application November 24, 1945, Serial No. 630,640

6 claims. (ci. 11a-457) The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in poultry and small live stock feeding devices adapted for using mash, grain or mixed feed, and aims to generally improve such structures.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a poultry feeder including a hopper for containing the feed and from which' the feed is discharged by gravity into a pair of feed troughs at opposite sides of the hopper, the troughs being adjustable vertically in accordance with the size of the poultry feeding from the troughs.

A further object of the invention is to provide means for controlling the quantity of feed disch'arged into the troughs in accordance with the capacity of the poultry feeding therefrom and including a feed control device supported on the inner edge of the troughs for adjustment in accordance with the vertical adjustment of the troughs.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character of simple and practical construction, which is efficient and reliable in use, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for th'e purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside Vin the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference be- 'ing had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to .like parts throughout, and in which- Figure 1 is a side elevational viewwith parts broken away and shown in section.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional View taken substantially on a line 2-f2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of one of the feed trough's.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the adjusting means for the troughs.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the feed regulator, and K Figure-6 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view taken substantially on a line 6-6 of Figure 2.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 5 designates a hopper of elongated construction having sloping upper walls 6 in one of which is formed a ller opening 1 provided with a h'inged door 8. The end walls of the hopper are provided with feet 9 for supporting the samein an elevated position above the ground.

The lower portion of the side walls of the hoptheA hopper and are inclined inwardly as shown at I0 and terminate in a longitudinally extending skirt portion II which extends along each side of the h'opper and is disposed substantially perpendicularly.

A pair of troughs I2 and I3 are positioned between the end walls of the hopper below the lower side edges I0 and Il thereof, the ends of the troughs being pivoted to the lower end walls ofthe hopper by means of pins I4 and withthe skirt portions II projecting'downwardly into the hoppers substantially at the center thereof. y

The front longitudinal edge of each hopper is formed with an inwardly curved lip I5 and the rear edge of each hopper is formed with an upstanding flange I6 which is inclined toward the front edge of the trough.

The end walls of the troughs are formed with' Vtongues I I projecting rearwardly beyond the rear hopper, the 'upper longitudinal frame member 23 being positioned with one edge thereof adapted for selective engagement with inclined notches 25 on one edge of a hanger bar 26 which is pivotally mounted at its upper end to a pin 21 carried by "a bracket 28 secured to the inside ofthe top of the hopper. Y

A feed regulating member is designated vgenerally at 29 and includes end walls 30 having an outwardly inclined upper edge 3| formed at its center with a notch 33 for slidably receiving the end member 2I of the frame 22. The side edges of th'e end walls 30 are slidably positioned against the inner sides of the skirts II, the sides Aof the regulator 29 being open. Y

The end walls 30 of the regulator are. connected by a bottom structure 34 which slopes per are free at their ends from the end AWells Qf downwardly toward each side of the hopper and terminates in .an outwardly inclined flange 35 extending along the side edges of the regulator, the flange terminating at its lower edge in an outwardly inclined lip 36 spaced inwardly from the skirted portions II of the side walls of the hopper and terminating adjacent the lower edges 3 thereof as will be apparent from an inspection of Figure 2 of the drawings.

The bottom member 34 of the regulator 23 is supported on the upper edge of the flanges I6 of the troughs I'Z and I3 at the angle of the anges 35 and sloping bottom 34 of the regulator.

Accordingly, the regulator 29 is raised and lowl- -ered in accordance with the raising and lowering movement of the inner edges of the troughs I2 and I3?. Tof the endwalls ofthe hopper 5 are secured' angle iron guides 31 for the' upper edges of the end walls 30 of the regulator 29 to guide the regulator perpendicularly during the raising and lowering movement thereof.. l Y

To the side walls of the hopper adjacent its lower edge is pivotally attached the upper edge lowering movement of the troughs.

2: poultry feeder comprising a hopper hav- .ing an open bottom, a pair of feed troughs pivoted "to 'thel hopper at each side thereof and each of a reticulated guard 38 which. includes outwardly curved spaced apart vertical rods 3`3` and a lower longitudinal rod 4u which bearsl againstv` the outside of the lips. i5 of the troughs I2 and Ir3f respectively. the guards swinging upwardly and' outwardly' during-.- the.'Y raising of the; troughs.

Inf the operation. of-.rthe deviceztheitroughs |12 Y and vI'3a`rey swung inwardly andP outwardly Vonl the pivot pins I4 to raise or lower the lipsl-I'fonI the outer-edges ofV the. troughs?. the-troughs bei-ng. se-

curedtheirr vertically -a'djustedi position. by` 'means of. t'he:.notch`es: 2 Stoff-the hanger bar 2li-engagirig anf edge of-the upper frame member 23: of t-h'efframe 22 whichis 'connectedfto the-inner edges ofi thetroughs by the'lin-ks. 20L 'Ihefhanger bar 26 is accessiblefthrough-the door 8; of the hopper. During the vertical 'adjustment or the inner edges-vofsthetroughs-A theregula-tor 2 @will likewise befraisedrfor lowered Vto thus-regulate.the-qu antity of: feedy discharged from the hopper into the troughs. The side WallsV otthe hopper may also he bentin-Wardlyor outwardly, as= desired-to prop- Yerly space theY same from the side edges. ot the regulatorV VZl-in accordancewiththe character of feedbeing-used.` I Y Accordingly, when the troughs are moved. inwardly to lower thelips I5:-ther.eor` for the feeding ofsmall-chicks' the lipf3l`sonf the: lower side edges ofthe-regulator2S-Will be moved upwardly sub.-

Ystan-tialfly closely against-themside of .the4 skirted portions II of the hopper-tofthus-permit arelatively small amount oifeedgtoibe deposited from Ythe. hopper into v.ther troughs. troughs I2. andV i3 .outwardly the regulator 29fwill By swinging the `hop'pverto prevent poultryfilomperching on the .top thereof. and a..handle .43 isfa'lso attached to the top ofl the hopper `forconveniently carrying the same from place to placev Tn view oflthe foregoing' description taken. in conjunction with` the .accompanying drawings itis believed that aV clear' understanding ofthe construction, operation and advantages of' the. device willbe quiteh apparent to Vthose skilled in this art. A more detailed' description is accordingly deeme'dunnecessary'..

It is to .be understood, however, that even Y though there is herein shown and described apreferred.ernbodimentY of theinvention the same is susceptible to 'certain lchanges fullyk comprehended by the spiritof theinventionV asV herein described and thescope of thefa'ppende'd claims;

having, ani-nner edge projecting under the open bottom to receive feed from the hopper, said inner edges-'of the troughs being swingable vertically in the hopper, meansconnecting the troughs to the hopper for securing-the inner edges of' the troughsin: verticallyY adjusted position; and a feed; regulator carried'` by the troughs and movable vertically therewith; to; regulate -the volume of feed discharged into the troughs. Y

'3. Apoultry feeder. comprisingahopper having an; open bottom: and side.` edges, a. pair of feed troughs piyotedftothehopper at. each side thereof and each havingv arrv inner edge projecting under the" open bottom ,to/receive feed.Y from the hopper, said innerV edgesV ofA the troughs` bei-ng swingable vertically` in the hopper, means connecting. t-he troughs to Athefhopper for securing the inner edgesot the troughs i-n verticallyadjusted posi-tion',` and a .feed-.regulator carried. by the troughs. and: Y inelucling;V side Y edgesV movable relative` to theside edges of -the hopper 'tof regulate the volume` of feed discharged into. the troug-lfls' in accordance with the vertical adjustment of the troughs. A f

4; A poultry` feeder comprisingr a hopper havingran operil bottom an-d'side edges,l av pair of feed troughs-pigvoted tothe. hopper at each. sidethereof and each having; an inner edger projecting under the` open bottom to .receive feed.- f-rorn the hopper, said inner edges of the troughs being swingable vertical-ly in the hoppen, means: connecting the troughs to vtlie-lfiopper for securing the-inner edges off the troughsrin vertical-ly adjusted position, and a'reed regulator strad-dling the inner edges. of the troughs for .riding thereonand including side edges movable .relative tothe side edges, ofthe hopper to regulate the volume of feed discharged into the troughsi-n. accorda-ncefwith the vertical adjustment of the troughs. i Y

5. A poultry feedercomprising ahopper having anV open'bottom -an-d side edges, a pair ofjfeed troughs pivoted to the hopper at each side: thereof. and each having an inner edgei projecting under the Vopen bottom to-receive feed fromthe hopper, said`V innerV edgesv of the troughs being swingable vertically in thehopper, means connecting the. troughs to the hopperifzor securing the inner edges. ofi the troughs. in; vertically adjusted position and including an. opstanding membermo-unted for vertical movement. in the hopper, links pivotallyY connecting said member 6. A poultry feeder comprising a hopper having an open bottom, a pair of feed troughs pivoted to the hopper at each side thereof and each having an inner edge projecting under the open bottom to receive feed from the hopper, saidhopper having its side walls free at the ends of 15 the hopper and adjustable toward or away from the side edges of the regulator. 4

IRVING R. DOTY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 366,933 Cowan July 19, 1887 1,469,677 Naylor Oct. 2,1923 1,770,754 Jones July 15, 1930 

